The Kaiser And The Rose
by Xen Kenshin
Summary: A chance encounter between Hell Kaiser and Witch Of The Black Rose in an empty city park. AU, Broken Timeline and slight shipping between two characters who've changed "alignments".


_**The Kaiser And The Rose**_

_An idea that hit me while staring at the Avatars over on Dueling Network. I'll be breaking the GX/5Ds time line (once again) in order to 'explain' why Zane became a little less aggressive at the end of his life(Although I can't remember the plot of GX too well, so I'm unsure of if he ever did "leave the dark side." Although I do know what became of him at the end - **spoiler alert** to those who don't know since it does come up in this fic) Besides, this is a fan fiction; I'm allowed to tweak the plot and the time-space continuum, even IF I don't own either variants of the series._

It was a rather somber autumn afternoon with an almost unnatural chill in the air. The city was alive with noise, as cities usually are, but the streets were near empty since everyone was indoors, watching duels between some of the most renowned names in Duel monsters history. All over the world, people were glued to their television sets as Jack Atlas dueled against Aster Phoenix in a tournament that also held Crow Hogan, Alexis Rhodes, Akiza Izinski and even Syrus Truesdale.

The last name caused a small smirk to form on the lips of the man as he walked through a vacant park. Syrus Truesdale, his half-pint younger brother who was once revered as one of the weakest duelists on Duel Academy Island, was now a competitor in a tournament featuring pro duelists. The older Truesdale brother forced the smirk to leave his face; he would not allow his old self to resurface... he _could not_ allow his old self to resurface.

Zane looked around, the leaves on the trees were changing color as they usually do. Someone would find it beautiful; the cascade of the yellows and greens and oranges as the leaves fell to the grass that was also changing color in small and random parts. Zane held no regard for such trivial matters. The only thing he cared about was finding a duelist who could give him one final duel before his heart condition claimed his life.

There was an out of season gale wind that forced Zane to turn his head and close his eyes. The surprisingly harsh wind did not 'feel' as aggressive as it should have. Zane, unamused at his natural reaction, turned back to face the wind head on. Upon opening his eyes, he saw what looked to be a card coming towards his face. He caught the card effortlessly, his confidence in his reflexes being reaffirmed when he felt the material in between his index and middle fingers.

He turned his wrist, looking at the artwork of the card. The very first thing he noticed was the white frame. Although Zane had not changed his deck since the construction of his 'Underworld Deck', he, as an elite duelist in the underground dueling circuit, kept up with current times and recognized this as a Synchro monster. The actual image depicted a black dragon cloaked in red rose like scales coming towards whoever gazed at the card.

Zane Truesdale found something captivating about this monster. It was without a doubt beautiful, but not in the manner the average person would define 'beauty'. It would take someone who experienced great pain and suffering to be able to see the destructive power behind the image of this dragon, and look at its power unflinchingly and discover the harmony in its ability to destroy. Zane, being well known for destroying his opponent completely, could identify with the beauty behind the outward fury of this card, and a part of him wanted the card for himself.

However, his spirit as a duelist, as warped, dark and even fractured as it was, would not allow him to claim ownership of this card. Ownership? The word reminded Zane that the card was not his own. Where was the owner of this card? Footsteps echoed in his ears, almost on cue, forcing Zane to instinctively look away from the card. A young woman wearing red was approaching him, a frantic look on her face as she slowed down.

As her identity dawned on him, Zane could have sworn that the card in his hand gave off an aura of some sort; an aura that resembled the aura of the person in front of him. As expected of a pro duelist of his level, Zane was able to tell the owner of a card with just one glance.

Although, there was something different about the bond the card and its owner shared...

"Excuse me," The young woman stopped in front of him. She placed her hands on her knees, doubling over and panting in an attempt to catch her breath. Zane held the card out to her before she continued – there was no reason for the two of them to speak. The woman looked up at his hand, her expression becoming happier as she realized that Zane was returning her card. "This belongs to you, Akiza Izinski."

Hadn't Zane just thought to himself that there was no need for speech?

Akiza stood up straight, looking Zane in the eye as she took back her ace card. "Thank you," her expression changed to one of surprised recognition. "Zane Truesdale?" Zane showed no sign of confirmation as he began to walk past the woman, silently cursing himself for speaking against his will. "Are you here to support your younger brother?" Akiza asked, genuinely interested in the pseudo-legendary man.

Zane continued walking, showing no signs of slowing down for a conversation which was reflected by his dark blue jacket ruffling in the wind. Akiza sensed the somewhat lone and bleak aura around the man, even without the use of psychic power. "Thanks again, Mr. Truesdale." This comment made Zane stop mid-step. Once more, he cursed himself for doing something subconsciously. "Drop the formalities, Izinski." Zane muttered without turning around, speaking at just the right decibel without yelling.

"I thought that would get your attention." Zane did not turn around, for he was determined to walk away without conversing with the young woman or letting her see the disapproval with himself which was evident on his face. He heard her footsteps on the paved path of the park as she neared him. He closed his eyes, finding that by having them open, his subconscious would have made him turn towards her.

"I'm not the only one who's dropping things that are close to them." Yet another comment from Akiza Izinski forced Zane Truesdale to act against his character. Zane turned around, pivoting on his heel in a manner that some would describe as frantic. He was greeted by a smiling Akiza, holding a purple framed card depicting a mechanical dragon like monster, Mitch-matched with spike like wings and vicious fangs.

Zane's eyes widened in disbelief as they locked onto his Cyberdark Dragon card. "How did you-" Zane stopped, remembering that his coat fluttered a few moments before, and that could have been the moment where he nearly lost a piece of himself. "This belongs to you, Zane Truesdale." Akiza smiled as she handed him the card.

Zane looked down at the card in her hand, and then to her face. He took the card back and placed it inside of his deck pouch on his waist. He gave Akiza a sharp glare before turning his back to her, pivoting on his heel once again in a manner some may have misinterpreted as rude. Zane walked briskly away from Akiza, his eyes closed in order to prevent his subconscious from doing anything.

That's when something deep down inside opened its jaws and took a bite at his conscience.

Within a nanosecond, Zane argued over a thousand times with his upbringing which, somehow, managed to escape the reformatting of his outlook on life - dueling in particular. Zane stopped walking, sighing heavily and looking over his shoulder. "Thank you-" He stopped, realizing that Akiza was much further from him than he anticipated. She still faced him, her stance neutral and her face obscured by distance.

Even if he still had manners, Zane refused to make this fact known to the whole world, particularly the underworld. He turned around slowly, attracting the attention of the former psychic duelist. He waltzed towards her, maintaining his dim outward emotion as he neared the young woman. There was another strong wind as he approached the woman dressed in red and white.

He stopped a few feet away from her and extended his hand. "Thank you." His dark eyes were not on her; instead the looked off to his right, almost as if he wanted nothing to do with her. Akiza noticed this as she took his hand. His hands were oddly chilled, even for a cold fall afternoon, but she showed no intrigue in the subject. "You're welcome, Zane." His eyes snapped to hers almost immediately as they shook hands.

He released her hand early, turning on his heel swiftly and walking with a faster pace than before. Akiza figured that he must have been offended in some way, or pushed well beyond his limit of toleration, or maybe even he was just falling too far behind schedule and decided to leave at that instant. Akiza deemed that this encounter had come to its end, as abrupt as it may have been. She too, turned away and continued onward.

"Take care of yourself, Akiza."

One final gale wind carried his voice towards her. Unlike his other words which were delivered curtly with a passive venom, this particular sentence sounded...different - humane even. Akiza looked over her shoulder. Zane was distant now, long out of ear shot and it was painfully obvious that he had no inclination to perform another heel turn and pick up where they left off. Akiza looked away from him with a small smile on her face.

Zane may not have looked any different from when they first saw one another, but the nearly microscopic fragment of a smile he bore was detectable for even those without powers. Akiza Izinski, formerly the Black Rose had encountered the man known as Zane 'Hell Kaiser' Truesdale, who had decimated nearly everyone he encountered completely, and lived to tell the tale. Zane Truesdale had shown a side of himself that he had long considered dead to Akiza Izinski that no one else would ever see again.

As he walked, Zane looked up at the blue sky in which only a single cloud drifted along its way without a worry in the world. He let out a sharp exhale: "Keh." And focused on the road ahead of him that began to open up into the city street. He looked down at his deck holster, remembering the look on Akiza's face. "Maybe I should have just stuck with formalities." He murmured to himself before clearing his mind of the encounter.

Several minutes later Zane stopped in his tracks, looking up at a television screen on the side of a tall building. The news was on, replaying a clip of Akiza's victory in the tournament so many people were watching almost ritualistically. He immediately looked away and resumed walking through the city before a thought crept into his mind.

"I should go to that tournament." He spoke to himself below his breath. "...for Syrus." He finished the sentence in a manner some would consider hastily.

The somber autumn afternoon, which was slowly darkening, felt a little less somber and a bit more "Tolerable." Zane grunted, placing a hand on his deck holster.

_And it is complete. Not really a drabble, not really fluff, but a tad bit romantic in my opinion. Just a little idea that came out of no where and left without warning but left an everlasting impression._

_For the Kaisers and Roses among all of us._

_Xen Kenshin_


End file.
